The NHL has finally arrived at a new CBA during peacetime.
The league and the players association came to a preliminary agreement on a four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement that will last through the 2025-26 season. The new CBA will replace the existing CBA for the next two seasons, ensuring no work stoppages for another six years.
The salary cap will stay flat at $81.5 million until the NHL hits $4.8 in hockey-related revenues, which was the revenue target for the 2019-20 season before it was interrupted by the pandemic. Players will defer 10% of their salaries next season and have them paid back over three years starting in the 2022-23 season. Per CapFriendly, the Kings currently have $60.8 million in committed salary for the 2020-21 season, leaving them with $20.7 million in space for the upcoming offseason.
The most exciting part of the agreement, other than the fact that the two parties were able to come to a deal, is that the NHL will let its players participate in the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics, provided an agreement is reached with the IOC.
The deal still has to be ratified by a vote of from the NHL Board of the Governors and the full membership of the players association. Currently, only the executive committee of the NHLPA, which consists of the 31 team representatives, has approved the plan. Matt Roy is the Kings’ representative. The vote is expected to be a formality, however, since the league and player leadership have given their blessings.
The agreement also includes protocols for Phase 3 and 4 Return to Play. Training camps will begin on July 13, teams will travel to the hub cities on July 26, and the best-of-five round is set to begin on Aug. 1.
On to the links…
- Scott Wheeler listed his top-50 prospects in the NHL. Not surprisingly, the Kings fare quite well in the rankings.
- More details on the CBA agreement and Return to Play. One RTP rule that caught my eye is that each team is required to have a content creator/social media employee on site during the postseason.
- The L.A. Times on what Rob Blake needs to do this offseason.
- Check out the Los Angeles Kings uniform bracket.
- About 7.8% of NHL players have tested positive for the coronavirus during optional workouts.
- Robin Lehner will have incredibly cool gear the next time the Golden Knights take the ice. /